Search Results (11)

The development of functional materials and the use of nanotechnology are ongoing projects. These fields are closely linked, but there is a need to combine them more actively. Nanoarchitectonics, a concept that comes after nanotechnology, is ready to do this. Among the related research efforts, research into creating functional materials through the formation of thin layers on surfaces, molecular membranes, and multilayer structures of these materials have a lot of implications. Layered structures are especially important as a key part of nanoarchitectonics. The diversity of the components and materials used in layer-by-layer (LbL) assemblies is a notable feature. Examples of LbL assemblies introduced in this review article include quantum dots, nanoparticles, nanocrystals, nanowires, nanotubes, g-C₃N₄, graphene oxide, MXene, nanosheets, zeolites, nanoporous materials, sol–gel materials, layered double hydroxides, metal–organic frameworks, covalent organic frameworks, conducting polymers, dyes, DNAs, polysaccharides, nanocelluloses, peptides, proteins, lipid bilayers, photosystems, viruses, living cells, and tissues. These examples of LbL assembly show how useful and versatile it is. Finally, this review will consider future challenges in layer-by-layer nanoarchitectonics. Full article

Advances in nanotechnology have made it possible to observe and evaluate structures down to the atomic and molecular level. The next step in the development of functional materials is to apply the knowledge of nanotechnology to materials sciences. This is the role of nanoarchitectonics, which is a concept of post-nanotechnology. Nanoarchitectonics is defined as a methodology to create functional materials using nanounits such as atoms, molecules, and nanomaterials as building blocks. Nanoarchitectonics is very general and is not limited to materials or applications, and thus nanoarchitecture is applied in many fields. In particular, in the evolution from nanotechnology to nanoarchitecture, it is useful to consider the contribution of nanoarchitecture in device applications. There may be a solution to the widely recognized problem of integrating top-down and bottom-up approaches in the design of functional systems. With this in mind, this review discusses examples of nanoarchitectonics in developments of advanced devices. Some recent examples are introduced through broadly dividing them into organic molecular nanoarchitectonics and inorganic materials nanoarchitectonics. Examples of organic molecular nanoarchitecture include a variety of control structural elements, such as π-conjugated structures, chemical structures of complex ligands, steric hindrance effects, molecular stacking, isomerization and color changes due to external stimuli, selective control of redox reactions, and doping control of organic semiconductors by electron transfer reactions. Supramolecular chemical processes such as association and intercalation of organic molecules are also important in controlling device properties. The nanoarchitectonics of inorganic materials often allows for control of size, dimension, and shape, and their associated physical properties can also be controlled. In addition, there are specific groups of materials that are suitable for practical use, such as nanoparticles and graphene. Therefore, nanoarchitecture of inorganic materials also has a more practical aspect. Based on these aspects, this review finally considers the future of materials nanoarchitectonics for further advanced devices. Full article

Environmental protection, especially fouling protection, is a very topical and wide-ranging issue. This review explores the development, molecular design, and nanoarchitectonics of sol–gel-based hybrid coatings for antifouling applications. These coatings combine inorganic and organic materials, offering enhanced stability and adaptability, making them ideal for protecting surfaces from fouling. This review covers key antifouling strategies from the past decade, including biocidal additives, fouling resistance, release mechanisms, and surface topological modifications. The sol–gel hybrid systems prevent biofilm formation and organism attachment by leveraging molecular interactions, making them particularly useful in marine environments. Additionally, the study emphasizes the coatings’ environmental benefits, as they offer a potential alternative to traditional toxic antifouling methods. Overall, this research underscores the importance of sol–gel technologies in advancing eco-friendly antifouling solutions. Full article

Nanoscale science is becoming increasingly important and prominent, and further development will necessitate integration with other material chemistries. In other words, it involves the construction of a methodology to build up materials based on nanoscale knowledge. This is also the beginning of the concept of post-nanotechnology. This role belongs to nanoarchitectonics, which has been rapidly developing in recent years. However, the scope of application of nanoarchitectonics is wide, and it is somewhat difficult to compile everything. Therefore, this review article will introduce the concepts of liquid and interface, which are the keywords for the organization of functional material systems in biological systems. The target interfaces are liquid–liquid interface, liquid–solid interface, and so on. Recent examples are summarized under the categories of molecular assembly, metal-organic framework and covalent organic framework, and living cell. In addition, the latest research on the liquid interfacial nanoarchitectonics of organic semiconductor film is also discussed. The final conclusive section summarizes these features and discusses the necessary components for the development of liquid interfacial nanoarchitectonics. Full article

Nanotechnology has advanced the techniques for elucidating phenomena at the atomic, molecular, and nano-level. As a post nanotechnology concept, nanoarchitectonics has emerged to create functional materials from unit structures. Consider the material function when nanoarchitectonics enables the design of materials whose internal structure is controlled at the nanometer level. Material function is determined by two elements. These are the functional unit that forms the core of the function and the environment (matrix) that surrounds it. This review paper discusses the nanoarchitectonics of confined space, which is a field for controlling functional materials and molecular machines. The first few sections introduce some of the various dynamic functions in confined spaces, considering molecular space, materials space, and biospace. In the latter two sections, examples of research on the behavior of molecular machines, such as molecular motors, in confined spaces are discussed. In particular, surface space and internal nanospace are taken up as typical examples of confined space. What these examples show is that not only the central functional unit, but also the surrounding spatial configuration is necessary for higher functional expression. Nanoarchitectonics will play important roles in the architecture of such a total system. Full article

The next step in nanotechnology is to establish a methodology to assemble new functional materials based on the knowledge of nanotechnology. This task is undertaken by nanoarchitectonics. In nanoarchitectonics, we architect functional material systems from nanounits such as atoms, molecules, and nanomaterials. In terms of the hierarchy of the structure and the harmonization of the function, the material created by nanoarchitectonics has similar characteristics to the organization of the functional structure in biosystems. Looking at actual biofunctional systems, dynamic properties and interfacial environments are key. In other words, nanoarchitectonics at dynamic interfaces is important for the production of bio-like highly functional materials systems. In this review paper, nanoarchitectonics at dynamic interfaces will be discussed, looking at recent typical examples. In particular, the basic topics of “molecular manipulation, arrangement, and assembly” and “material production” will be discussed in the first two sections. Then, in the following section, “fullerene assembly: from zero-dimensional unit to advanced materials”, we will discuss how various functional structures can be created from the very basic nanounit, the fullerene. The above examples demonstrate the versatile possibilities of architectonics at dynamic interfaces. In the last section, these tendencies will be summarized, and future directions will be discussed. Full article

The fabrication of various sensing devices and the ability to harmonize materials for a higher degree of organization is essential for effective sensing systems. Materials with hierarchically micro- and mesopore structures can enhance the sensitivity of sensors. Nanoarchitectonics allows for atomic/molecular level manipulations that create a higher area-to-volume ratio in nanoscale hierarchical structures for use in ideal sensing applications. Nanoarchitectonics also provides ample opportunities to fabricate materials by tuning pore size, increasing surface area, trapping molecules via host–guest interactions, and other mechanisms. Material characteristics and shape significantly enhance sensing capabilities via intramolecular interactions, molecular recognition, and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). This review highlights the latest advancements in nanoarchitectonics approaches to tailor materials for various sensing applications, including biological micro/macro molecules, volatile organic compounds (VOC), microscopic recognition, and the selective discrimination of microparticles. Furthermore, different sensing devices that utilize the nanoarchitectonics concept to achieve atomic-molecular level discrimination are also discussed. Full article

A post-nanotechnology concept has been assigned to an emerging concept, nanoarchitectonics. Nanoarchitectonics aims to establish a discipline in which functional materials are fabricated from nano-scale components such as atoms, molecules, and nanomaterials using various techniques. Nanoarchitectonics opens ways to form a more unified paradigm by integrating nanotechnology with organic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, material chemistry, microfabrication technology, and biotechnology. On the other hand, biological systems consist of rational organization of constituent molecules. Their structures have highly asymmetric and hierarchical features that allow for chained functional coordination, signal amplification, and vector-like energy and signal flow. The process of nanoarchitectonics is based on the premise of combining several different processes, which makes it easier to obtain a hierarchical structure. Therefore, nanoarchitectonics is a more suitable methodology for creating highly functional systems based on structural asymmetry and hierarchy like biosystems. The creation of functional materials by nanoarchitectonics is somewhat similar to the creation of functional systems in biological systems. It can be said that the goal of nanoarchitectonics is to create highly functional systems similar to those found in biological systems. This review article summarizes the synthesis of biomimetic and biological molecules and their functional structure formation from various viewpoints, from the molecular level to the cellular level. Several recent examples are arranged and categorized to illustrate such a trend with sections of (i) synthetic nanoarchitectonics for bio-related units, (ii) self-assembly nanoarchitectonics with bio-related units, (iii) nanoarchitectonics with nucleic acids, (iv) nanoarchitectonics with peptides, (v) nanoarchitectonics with proteins, and (vi) bio-related nanoarchitectonics in conjugation with materials. Full article

We discuss emerging views on the complexity of signals controlling the onset of biological shapes and functions, from the nanoarchitectonics arising from supramolecular interactions, to the cellular/multicellular tissue level, and up to the unfolding of complex anatomy. We highlight the fundamental role of physical forces in cellular decisions, stressing the intriguing similarities in early morphogenesis, tissue regeneration, and oncogenic drift. Compelling evidence is presented, showing that biological patterns are strongly embedded in the vibrational nature of the physical energies that permeate the entire universe. We describe biological dynamics as informational processes at which physics and chemistry converge, with nanomechanical motions, and electromagnetic waves, including light, forming an ensemble of vibrations, acting as a sort of control software for molecular patterning. Biomolecular recognition is approached within the establishment of coherent synchronizations among signaling players, whose physical nature can be equated to oscillators tending to the coherent synchronization of their vibrational modes. Cytoskeletal elements are now emerging as senders and receivers of physical signals, “shaping” biological identity from the cellular to the tissue/organ levels. We finally discuss the perspective of exploiting the diffusive features of physical energies to afford in situ stem/somatic cell reprogramming, and tissue regeneration, without stem cell transplantation. Full article

Nanoarchitectonics has been recently proposed as a post-nanotechnology concept. It is the methodology to produce functional materials from nanoscale units. Carbon-based materials are actively used in nanoarchitectonics approaches. This review explains several recent examples of energy and related applications of carbon materials from the viewpoint of the nanoarchitectonics concept. Explanations and discussions are described according to the classification of carbon sources for nanostructured materials: (i) carbon nanoarchitectonics from molecules and supramolecular assemblies; (ii) carbon nanoarchitectonics from fullerenes; (iii) carbon nanoarchitectonics from biomass; and (iv) carbon nanoarchitectonics with composites and hybrids. Functional carbon materials can be nanoarchitected through various processes, including well-skilled organic synthesis with designed molecular sources; self-assembly of fullerenes under various conditions; practical, low-cost synthesis from biomass; and hybrid/composite formation with various carbon sources. These examples strikingly demonstrate the enormous potential of nanoarchitectonics approaches to produce functional carbon materials from various components such as small molecules, fullerene, other nanocarbons, and naturally abundant biomasses. While this review article only shows limited application aspects in energy-related usages such as supercapacitors, applications for more advanced cells and batteries, environmental monitoring and remediation, bio-medical usages, and advanced devices are also expected. Full article

Although various synthetic methodologies including organic synthesis, polymer chemistry, and materials science are the main contributors to the production of functional materials, the importance of regulation of nanoscale structures for better performance has become clear with recent science and technology developments. Therefore, a new research paradigm to produce functional material systems from nanoscale units has to be created as an advancement of nanoscale science. This task is assigned to an emerging concept, nanoarchitectonics, which aims to produce functional materials and functional structures from nanoscale unit components. This can be done through combining nanotechnology with the other research fields such as organic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, materials science, and bio-related science. In this review article, the basic-level of nanoarchitectonics is first presented with atom/molecular-level structure formations and conversions from molecular units to functional materials. Then, two typical application-oriented nanoarchitectonics efforts in energy-oriented applications and bio-related applications are discussed. Finally, future directions of the molecular and materials nanoarchitectonics concepts for advancement of functional nanomaterials are briefly discussed. Full article